John Chrysostom, Letters

gaining confidence before God, it is very clear that you will also have greater power. Use your zeal, therefore, at the opportune time, and be eager to do and to say these things, both through yourselves and through others whom it may be possible, so that you will be able to calm the present disturbance. For there will indeed be some greater result from your diligence; but if nothing more should come of it, you will have the reward for your zeal and purpose from the philanthropic God. ΡΟΕʹ. To Agapetus. My lord, the most reverent and most honorable presbyter Elpidius, has sweated many and continuous sweats, endeavoring to deliver those who inhabit the mountain, I mean Amanus, from the impiety that possesses them. And he has delivered them, and has converted them from their error, and has built churches, and has established monasteries; and it is possible for your nobility to learn these things from others as well. Since, therefore, I know that you have become a great lover of reverent and noble men, knowing that I will please you by making known the one who has accomplished so much, and at the same time being eager to greet you on every occasion, I have added these letters, both rendering the due salutation, and 52.712 entrusting the man to your nobility. When you see him, therefore, as is fitting for you, my most honorable and most wonderful lord, show him by your deeds that it was not in vain nor for naught that he came having this letter from us, but that these letters had the power to make him enjoy much goodwill and love. For in this way we too shall confess much gratitude to your sagacity, because even while sitting at such a great distance, by a letter we are able to genuinely join to your love those who desire to enjoy it; of whom this man is one, being a fervent admirer of your decorum; for which reason he also requested this letter from us with great earnestness. ΡΟʹ. To Hesychius. We desire both to see you in person, and to enjoy your sweetest and most pleasant company. But since this is difficult, both because of the hardship of the journey and because of the press of affairs, and the weakness of the body, we seek the consolation that comes from letters, which neither bodily sickness nor roughness of the road can hinder. Grant us then this favor, which is both light and unburdensome, and brings us much pleasure, and cuts off no small part of the despondency arising from our physical separation. For if we enjoy this consolation, we shall consider ourselves to be near, and always with your honor. For love is sufficient to do this; but the imagination itself receives a greater addition when it also has the reinforcement from letters. ΡΟΖʹ. To Artemidorus. My lord Antiochus thought he would enjoy much goodwill, if he appeared before your Excellency with a letter from us. Show, therefore, my most honorable lord, that he did not think this in vain, and having received him with the goodwill befitting you, be pleased to offer yourself ready to him if he thinks anything is just and reasonable, and show him by your deeds that it was not in vain nor for naught that he came bearing this letter from us, but that something more 52.713 has come to him by way of goodwill and just assistance from our letters. For thus he will enjoy the benefit, and I will reap honor through the means by which he too has enjoyed the benefit. ΡΟΗʹ. To Euthalia. Your letters are colored with a very genuine and warm love, with a sincere and guileless disposition. For these things we confess much gratitude to you, both because you write, and because you show the greatest proof of your genuine friendship for us. May God give you the reward for such a disposition both here and in the age to come, and may He wall you in, and guard you, and establish you in all safety and cheerfulness. For you yourself know, my most honorable lady, what great joy it brings us, and this to us sitting in a desolate place, to hear continually that matters are proceeding according to your mind. Make these things known to us continually, and do not cease bringing good news concerning your health, so that even in a desolate place

τὴν παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ παῤῥησίαν κτώμενοι, πλείονα εὔδηλον ὅτι καὶ τὴν δύναμιν ἕξετε. Χρήσασθε τοίνυν εἰς καιρὸν τῇ προθυμίᾳ, καὶ δι' ἑαυτῶν, καὶ δι' ἑτέρων, ὧν ἂν οἷόν τε ᾖ, ταῦτα καὶ πρᾶξαι καὶ εἰπεῖν σπουδάσατε, ἵνα τὸ κατέχον κλυδώνιον καταστεῖλαι δυνήσεσθε. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ ἔσται τι καὶ πλέον σπουδαζόντων ὑμῶν· εἰ δ' ἄρα μηδὲν γένοιτο πλέον, τῆς προθυμίας καὶ τῆς γνώμης ἕξετε παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ τὸν μισθόν. ΡΟΕʹ. Ἀγαπητῷ. Πολλοὺς καὶ συνεχεῖς ἱδρῶτας ἵδρωσεν ὁ κύριός μου ὁ εὐλαβέστατος καὶ τιμιώτατος πρεσβύτερος Ἐλπίδιος, τοὺς τὸ ὄρος οἰκοῦντας, τὸ Ἀμανὸν λέγω, σπουδάζων ἀπαλλάξαι τῆς κατεχούσης αὐτοὺς ἀσεβείας. Καὶ ἀπήλλαξε, καὶ μετέθηκεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς πλάνης, καὶ ἐκκλησίας ᾠκοδόμησε, καὶ μοναστήρια συνεστήσατο· καὶ ἔξεστι ταῦτα τῇ εὐγενείᾳ σου καὶ παρ' ἑτέρων μανθάνειν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν οἶδα ὅτι τῶν εὐλαβῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ γενναίων σφόδρα γέγονας ἐραστὴς, εἰδὼς ὅτι σοι χαριοῦμαι γνώριμον ποιῶν τὸν τοσαῦτα κατωρθωκότα, ὁμοῦ καὶ προσειπεῖν σε δι' ἑκάστης προφάσεως ἐπειγόμενος, προστέθεικα ταῦτα τὰ γράμματα, τήν τε ὀφειλομένην πρόσρησιν ἀποδιδοὺς, καὶ 52.712 τὸν ἄνδρα παρακατατιθέμενός σου τῇ εὐγενείᾳ. Ἰδὼν τοίνυν αὐτὸν ὥς σοι πρέπον ἐστὶ, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε καὶ θαυμασιώτατε, δεῖξον αὐτῷ διὰ τῶν ἔργων, ὡς οὐ μάτην οὐδὲ εἰκῆ ταύτην ἦλθεν ἔχων παρ' ἡμῶν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, ἀλλ' ἴσχυσε ταυτὶ τὰ γράμματα πολλῆς αὐτὸν ποιῆσαι ἀπολαῦσαι εὐνοίας τε καὶ ἀγάπης. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς χάριν πολλὴν ὁμολογήσομεν τῇ ἀγχινοίᾳ τῇ σῇ, ὅτι καὶ ἐκ τοσούτου καθήμενοι διαστήματος, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς δυνάμεθα συνάπτειν σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ γνησίως τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας αὐτῆς ἀπολαύειν· ὧν εἷς οὗτός ἐστι, σφοδρὸς ἐραστὴς ὤν σου τῆς κοσμιότητος· διὸ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σπουδῆς ταύτην παρ' ἡμῶν ᾔτησε τὴν ἐπιστολήν. ΡΟʹ. Ἡσυχίῳ. Ἡμεῖς ἐπιθυμοῦμεν καὶ παρόντα σε θεάσασθαι, καὶ τῆς γλυκυτάτης καὶ ἡδίστης σου ἀπολαῦσαι συνουσίας. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο ἐργῶδες, καὶ διὰ τὴν τῆς ὁδοῦ δυσκολίαν καὶ διὰ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἀσχολίαν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἀσθένειαν, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων ζητοῦμεν παράκλησιν, ἣν οὔτε σώματος ἀῤῥωστία, οὐδὲ ὁδοῦ τραχύτης διακωλῦσαι δύναται. ∆ίδου δὴ τὴν χάριν ἡμῖν κούφην τε οὖσαν καὶ ἀνεπαχθῆ, καὶ πολλὴν κομίζουσαν ἡμῖν τὴν ἡδονὴν, καὶ οὐ μικρὸν τῆς ἀθυμίας, τῆς ἐκ τοῦ σωματικοῦ χωρισμοῦ, ὑποτεμνομένην. Ἂν γὰρ ταύτης ἀπολαύσωμεν τῆς παρακλήσεως, καὶ πλησίον ἡγησόμεθα εἶναι, καὶ ἀεὶ μετὰ τῆς τιμιότητός σου. Ἀρκεῖ μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦτο ποιῆσαι· πλείονα δὲ αὐτὴ ἡ φαντασία λαμβάνει προσθήκην, ὅταν καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων ἔχῃ συμμαχίαν. ΡΟΖʹ. Ἀρτεμιδώρῳ. Πολλῆς ἐνόμισεν ἀπολαύσεσθαι εὐνοίας ὁ κύριός μου Ἀντίοχος, εἰ μετὰ γραμμάτων ἡμετέρων φανείη τῇ ἐμμελείᾳ τῇ σῇ. ∆εῖξον τοίνυν, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε, ὡς οὐ τηνάλλως ταῦτα ἐνόμισε, καὶ δεξάμενος αὐτὸν μετὰ τῆς σοι προσηκούσης εὐνοίας, ἄν τι δίκαιον νομίζῃ, καὶ λόγον ἔχον, ἕτοιμον σεαυτὸν αὐτῷ παρασχεῖν παρακλήθητι, καὶ δεῖξον διὰ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῷ ὡς οὐ μάτην οὐδὲ εἰκῆ ταύτην ἦλθε φέρων παρ' ἡμῶν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, ἀλλὰ γέγονέ τι πλέον 52.713 αὐτῷ εἰς εὐνοίας καὶ συμμαχίας δικαίας λόγον ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων τῶν ἡμετέρων. Οὕτω γὰρ ἀπολαύσεται μὲν τῆς εὐεργεσίας οὗτος, καρπώσομαι δὲ ἐγὼ τιμὴν δι' ὧν καὶ οὗτος τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀπήλαυσε. ΡΟΗʹ. Εὐθαλίᾳ. Σφόδρα γνησίας καὶ θερμῆς ἀγάπης ἀνακέχρωσταί σου τὰ γράμματα, εἰλικρινοῦς καὶ ἀδόλου διαθέσεως. ∆ιὰ ταῦτά σοι πολλὰς χάριτας ὁμολογοῦμεν, καὶ ὅτι γράφεις, καὶ ὅτι τῆς γνησίας σου φιλίας τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς μέγιστον δεῖγμα ἐκφέρεις. Ὁ Θεός σοι τὸν μισθὸν δῴη τῆς τοιαύτης διαθέσεως καὶ ἐνταῦθα, καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι, καὶ τειχίσειέ σε, καὶ φρουρήσειε, καὶ ἐν πάσῃ καταστήσειεν ἀσφαλείᾳ, καὶ εὐθυμίᾳ. Οἶσθα γὰρ αὐτὴ, κυρία μου τιμιωτάτη, ὡς οὐ μικρὰν ἡμῖν εὐφροσύνην φέρει, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ἐρημίᾳ καθημένοις, τὸ συνεχῶς ἀκούειν κατὰ νοῦν σοι τὰ πράγματα φέρεσθαι. Ταῦτα δὴ δήλου συνεχῶς ἡμῖν, καὶ μὴ διαλείπῃς περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας τῆς σῆς εὐαγγελιζομένη, ἵνα καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ